The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-03-06

! 1dISS OF stamps them as arrant fools
. For years they have been bowling for
: freedom of conscience. They have pro-
I fessed thatit was only the regeneration
OF the "priest-ridden" vales of Utah
and the Hberating of the Mormon
: slaves" that they have fought for; that
|. so soon as that end was attained their
souls could rest in peace and they
would cease the struggle and join hands
) WIN the people they had benefited and
nelp 10 push the Territory on to pros
perity. But their actions have seri-
ously belled their words, and the way
IN which they accept the present bill
but adds proof to the conviction that 1t
was spoils and power that prompted
their excessive energy.
: When the Tucker bill proposed to
turn the management of the Terrific
rial affairs owe to the bowling mob of
anti Mormons who infest the ranks of
the Loyal League, their joy was bound
ed only by the probability that the
measure could never become q law.
Then when the conference committee
clipped the DILL they were still in hopes
that the test oath would be strong
enough to prevent any. member of
the Mormon church subscribing
to its provisions, and later, when it is
learned that great MANY members of
the Mormon Church are likely to take the
oath they set up the howl that no Nor
mon can eonscientiously do SO: they
set themselves up as Judges of the con.
sciences of others, and for fear tn ose
others will not obey the mandates of
these selfconstituted judges they ad
Vocate peremptory and dictatorial
measures on the part of registration
officials.
| II they were really sincere in their
! professions; if they believed themselves
what they set up for the Mormons to
believe, and actually thought that no
Mormon could conscientiously take the
oath prescribed by the Edmunds-
Tucker bill, their only concern would |
be that the Mormons would refuse to |
take that oath. If, as the LOYAL |
Leaguers claim, no Mormon can con
scientiously and consistently become an |
eleCtor under the new law, and if, as
they have so persistently set forth their |
labors have been directed only against |
the "hierarchy"-the Mormon Church.
the law that they now have is precisely |
what they have been working for for |
so many years, and they should use
every endeaVor to induce the Mormons |
to walk up and register and vote. In
stead OF throwing every obstacle
in the way and making it difficult for
Mormons to vote and hold Office under |
the new law, they would make such
matters as easy as possible and exert
their influence to have the largest pos
slble number of Mormon votes cast,
knowing that for every Mormon that
polled vote, the church would lose
member and be weakened that much.
But their claims are all false, having
no foundation in fact. They came to
Utah a set of hungry, cadaverous
vagabonds, and found peaceable COM
munlties enjoying life and their pol
itical privileges without customary
strife; they saw a plum in the political
places held by the representatives of the
majority and their greedy eyes at once
set their lank souls to yearning for a
taste of the delicious fruit; they per-
ceived that the MormOns were unpop-
ular abroad, and by continual agitation,
Nilful misrepreSent alton and outrageous
lying succeeded in having all the gov
ernment positions wrested from the
maj lrity and given to carpet-bag min
GRITTY; then emboldened by their sue
cess. they thought by continuing their
clamor and by insidious, industrious
lying to gain more and get complete
political control of the Territory, and
be able to lord it over the people while
they pocketed the funds of the public
to enrich themselves. By the most I'M
merciful methods of buIlyragging and
whipping-in, the cadaverous adYentur-
ers have succeeded in keeping the lines
drawn tightly between Mormons and
non-Mormons, and by their hollow
claim OF missionary zeal and purity,
have gained the support of preiudiced
people outside the Territory, who have
joined in the cry of Down with the
Mormonsp until the present status has
been brought about. Polygamy and
church rule have been used as war cries
power and spoilS have been the sole
objects of the crusade.
They have now run the length of
their rope, at least for season; they
have succeeded in getting legislation
that has deprived thousands of vested
rights without the shadow oflegal pro-
cess. They have got this great govern
ment to pay them thousands upon
thousands of dollars for bounding their
betters into prisons. or driving them
from their homes; for depriving help
less women and innocent children of
the society and support of their hus-
bands and fathers; still their greed has
not been satiated, and the coveted prize
seems as far off as ever. No wonder
their souls sour with disappointed ex-
pectatlons. No wonder they cling with
such woeful tenacity to the mere crumb
of comfort that this last infamy gives
them and shout with all the lustiness Ct
their inflated lungs that the Morn1ons
cannot consistently continue to vote.
The consistency of the League howlers
is magnificent spectacle, is it not? 1t
is something that will go down to pos
terity and be held in future generations
but not by the Liberais-as shining
jewel.
Douoo,,aI ood Ho,,onoI